Inches, Hands and feetInstructional Guide

Learning Goals

You will: Demonstrate an understanding of basic design

concepts as they relate to measurement and human form.

Explain and demonstrate how an engineering design process can be used to improve technological devices.

Recognize that all technological devices and designs have limitations.

Realize that with innovation, technological devices can be improved in many different ways.

Terminology

Discovery – New knowledge created through the process of inquiry.

Serendipity - Making fortunate and unexpected discoveries by accident.

Invention – A process of turning ideas into devices and systems.

Terminology

Innovation – The process of modifying an existing product to improve it.

Technology – Knowledge and processes to develop systems that solve problems and meet human needs and wants.

Anthropometrics – The study of human form as it relates to product design.

Anthropometrics

Used in designing many products including:

ClothingAutomobilesSporting equipmentKitchen utensils

Anthropometric Challenge

Your challenge is to work with a partner to examine a product that requires the use of someone’s hand. You will design a way to improve the product then build a prototype of it and show it to the class.

EngineeringDesignProcess

Step 1 – Identify a challenge

Examine a product that requires the use of a hand.

Find one thing that could be improved about the product.

What needs to be improved? Why?

Step 2 – Explore Ideas

Brainstorm ways to improve your product.

Choose the top 2 ideas.

√ Identify a challenge

Step 3 – Plan and Develop

Create a plan. Keep a journal of all your ideas

and work you have done.

√ Identify a challenge

√ Explore Ideas

Step 4 – Testing and Evaluating

Test your product with 3 people What do they think of your

product? Are there things you should

change?

√ Identify a challenge

√ Explore Ideas

√ Plan and Develop

Step 5 – Presenting the Solution

What is the best thing about your product

How could you improve your product more?

How well did your team work together?

Would you do anything differently next time? √ Identify a challenge

√ Explore Ideas

√ Plan and Develop

√ Testing and Evaluating